Method

• 1.
  For the crema pasticceria, bring the milk, vanilla pod and seeds almost to the boil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk yolks and sugar in a large bowl until pale and creamy and doubled in volume. Whisk in flour until smooth. Slowly whisk in hot milk until smooth. Strain through a fine sieve into a clean medium saucepan. Cook, stirring constantly, over mediumhigh heat until mixture thickens. Pour into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap touching the surface. Chill until cold.
• 2.
  For the sponge cake, preheat oven to 190°C/170°C fan-forced. Grease a 20cm x 30cm slice pan and line with baking paper.
• 3.
  Place eggs, sugar and zest in a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whisk for 10 minutes until pale and tripled in volume and sugar has dissolved. Gently fold through the flour until combined. Gently fold through the butter until combined. Spoon into prepared pan and level surface with a spatula. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden and a skewer inserted in centre comes out clean. Cool in pan. If not using straight away to assemble, remove from pan, wrap in plastic wrap and chill.
• 4.
  For the figs, preheat oven to 200°C/180°C fan-forced.
• 5.
  Combine honey, sugar, zest and juice in a medium bowl. Add figs and gently toss to coat. Arrange figs, cut-side up, on a baking tray. Pour over the honey mixture. Roast for 20 minutes, then set aside to cool. Transfer figs to a plate, reserving pan juices, and sprinkle figs with salt flakes. Transfer pan juices to a jug and stir through rum. Pour 100ml into a small saucepan and bring to the boil over high heat, setting remaining rum mixture aside. Cook for 2-3 minutes until reduced to 2 tbs syrup. Set aside
• 6.
  To assemble, layer a piece of sponge (you will need to cut it to fit your dish, see note) in the base of a 1.5L trifle bowl. Drizzle over one-third of the rum mixture, top with one-third of the crema pasticceria and arrange one-third of the figs on top, cut-side facing out. Repeat twice more with remaining sponge, rum mixture, crema pasticceria and figs. Chill, covered, for at least 1 hour, or overnight.
• 7.
  When ready to serve, top with whipped cream and drizzle with reduced fig syrup.